Lawrence Michael Andrew Goodliffe (1 October 1914 – 20 March 1976) was an English actor known for playing suave roles such as doctors, lawyers and army officers. He was also sometimes cast in working-class parts.
Early life Goodliffe was born in Bebington, Wirral, the son of a vicar, and educated at St Edmund's School, Canterbury, and Keble College, Oxford.
Career Goodliffe began his career in repertory theatre in Liverpool before joining the company of the Stratford Memorial Theatre in Stratford upon Avon. He joined the British Army at the beginning of the Second World War, and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in February 1940. He was wounded in the leg and captured at the Battle of Dunkirk. Goodliffe was incorrectly listed as killed in action, and even had his obituary published in a newspaper.Michael Goodliffe: Wartime Shakespearean Actor and Producer He was to spend the rest of the war a prisoner in Germany.
Whilst in captivity he produced and acted in (and in some cases wrote) many plays and sketches to entertain fellow prisoners. These included two productions of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, one in Tittmoning and the other in Eichstätt, in which he played the title role. He also produced the first staging of Noël Coward's Post-Mortem at Eichstätt. A full photographic record of these productions exists.
After the war, he resumed his professional acting career. As well as appearing in the theatre, he worked in film and television. He appeared in The Wooden Horse (1950) and in other POW films. His best-known film was A Night to Remember (1958), in which he played Thomas Andrews, designer of the RMS Titanic. His best-known television series was Sam (1973–75) in which he played an unemployed Yorkshire miner. He also appeared with John Thaw and James Bolam in the 1967 television series Inheritance, and played Sir Thomas More in the 1972 BBC TV series The Six Wives of Henry VIII.
Death Suffering from depression, Goodliffe had a breakdown in 1976 during the period that he was rehearsing for a revival of Equus. He died by suicide a few days later by leaping from a hospital fire escape while he was a patient at the Atkinson Morley Hospital in Wimbledon, which has since been converted to residential use and is now called 'Wimbledon Hill Park'.
Filmography
Television Year Title Role Notes1955 The Lark play by Jean Anouilh The inquisitor BBC Sunday Night Theatre1957 The Adventures of Peter Simple Peter's Uncle 4 episodes1963 Maigret Dr Javet Episode: Maigret's Little Joke1962 The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre Sir Harold Trevitt Episode: "The £20,000 Kiss"1962The Edgar Wallace Mystery TheatreDetective Superintendent HallettEpisode: "Number Six"1963 The Saint Dr. Quintus Episode 2: "The Invisible Millionaire"1965 The Avengers Professor Keller Episode 23: "The House That Jack Built"1967 Inheritance William Oldroyd 10 Episodes1969 Callan Hunter 5 Episodes (Series 2)1969 Judge Dee Judge Dee 6 Episodes1969 Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Arthur de Crecy Episode 13: "But What a Sweet Little Room"1970 The Woodlanders (BBC Series – lost) George Melbury ? Episodes1971 Hadleigh Dr. John Salter Episode: "Exposure"1971 Hine Sir Christopher Pendle 3 episodes1973 Sam Jack Barraclough 39 episodes
References
External links
Michael Goodliffe at the British Film Institute Comprehensive site on Goodliffe's life and career including full photographic record of wartime productions